Wood hidden under old vinyl or tile
Uncovering hardwood under old vinyl starts with a test of the tile and glue. Once it's cleared or abated, we can assess and refinish the wood.
Serving Glen Ellyn & nearby Wheaton, Lombard
Hardwood Floor Repair & Refinishing in Glen Ellyn, IL
Worn, stained and water-marked hardwood in Glen Ellyn kitchens sanded, repaired board by board and refinished.
- Crews working in Glen Ellyn ZIP 60137
- Most jobs done in days, with your kitchen still usable
- Samples and a written quote before we start
Hardwood floor problems we repair in Glen Ellyn
A solid hardwood floor can usually be sanded and refinished more than once, which makes repair far less disruptive than replacement. Our Glen Ellyn crew matches the species and width of your boards, fixes water-damaged areas and finishes the kitchen to blend with the rooms next to it.
Gray, worn traffic paths
When the path from the doorway to the sink looks lighter and rougher than the rest, the finish has worn off. We sand it back and recoat the whole floor evenly.
Cupped or crowned boards
Cupping is a moisture symptom. Sanding a cupped floor too early leaves it crowned once it dries, so drying and time come before refinishing.
Deep scratches and dents
Fine scuffs stay in the finish; gouges reach the wood. Sanding takes out most of them.
White water marks in the finish
If the mark is white or milky, moisture is trapped in the coating. That is good news: the wood below is often fine.
Squeaky or loose boards
Noisy boards are usually not tight to the subfloor. We secure them before sanding.
Pet stains and scratches
Scratches from dogs are common in kitchens and sand out well. Urine stains that go deep mean replacing those boards.
Floor turned yellow or orange
Older oil-based finishes amber with age. Sanding to bare wood and using a clearer waterborne finish brings back a natural tone.
What we do on the job
- Floor assessmentWe check the species, board width, finish type and how much wear layer remains for sanding.
- Moisture checkWe measure the wood and subfloor moisture before sanding near any past leak.
- Board repair and replacementWe lace in matching boards wherever stains, rot or splits go too deep to sand out.
- SandingThe floor is sanded in progressive grits with a drum or belt sander and an edger along cabinets.
- Stain and color samplesStain samples on your own sanded floor so you see the real color before committing.
- Finish coatsSeveral coats of waterborne or oil-modified polyurethane, lightly abraded between coats.
- Appliances back and care adviceAppliances return once the finish allows, with felt pads and care instructions left behind.
Materials and finishes
Oil-modified polyurethaneThe traditional finish that deepens the wood color and takes longer to dry.
Wood stainChanges the floor color from natural to gray-washed or dark; we sample on your floor first.
Replacement boardsMatching boards for weaving in repairs, chosen to blend after finishing.
Engineered hardwoodEngineered floors can be refinished if the top layer is thick enough; thin ones get a recoat instead.
Waterborne polyurethaneA clear finish that doesn't yellow much over time and dries fast between coats.
Kitchens like yours in Glen Ellyn: before and after
Before
AfterBefore and after: a postwar bi-level in Glen Ellyn
A postwar bi-level in Glen Ellyn, a typical kitchen for Glen Ellyn. The main complaint was dark water stains in front of the dishwasher. Finished kitchen: the oak floor sanded and refinished with a satin clear finish, grain visible and the water marks gone. Work included moisture check, sanding, plus appliances back and care advice.
Before
AfterWheaton kitchen, two-story colonial from the 1990s: hardwood floor repair & refinishing
A two-story colonial from the 1990s in Wheaton, a typical kitchen for Wheaton. The reason for the call: dark water stains in front of the dishwasher. After: the oak floor sanded and refinished with a satin clear finish, grain visible and the water marks gone. The job covered floor assessment, moisture check, plus board repair and replacement.
Hardwood Floor Repair & Refinishing in Wheaton →
Before
AfterA Lombard postwar bi-level: before and after
The site: a postwar bi-level in Lombard. The main complaint was gray traffic paths and water marks by the sink. After: the oak floor sanded and refinished with a satin clear finish, grain visible and the water marks gone. The job covered moisture check, board repair and replacement, plus stain and color samples.
Hardwood Floor Repair & Refinishing in Lombard →
Before
AfterA Glen Ellyn postwar bi-level: before and after
What changed: cabinets in light butter yellow with polished nickel pulls, black honed granite counters, a gray beveled subway tile backsplash, light oak hardwood flooring and two glass pendants and recessed lights.
Kitchen Remodeling in Glen Ellyn →
Before
AfterBefore and after: a postwar bi-level in Glen Ellyn
The same doors sprayed in creamy white uppers and navy lowers, new brushed nickel bar pulls; counters and floor stayed as they were.
Kitchen Cabinet Painting in Glen Ellyn →How the job goes
- Look at the floorAn on-site check of wear, stains and how much wood is left to sand.
- Plan the workWe agree on color, finish and the rooms included before work starts.
- Repair and sandDamaged boards replaced, then the floor sanded and stained; a kitchen refinish often takes a few days.
- Finish and cureFinish coats go on with dry time between them; light use comes first, full use after the cure.
Hardwood Floor Repair & Refinishing questions from Glen Ellyn homeowners
How long until I can use the kitchen?
Light foot traffic is usually possible within a day of the last coat; furniture and rugs wait longer, and full cure takes weeks depending on the finish.
Can you match new boards to an old floor?
We match species, width and grade, weave them into the existing pattern and refinish the area so color blends.
What is the best time of year to refinish hardwood floors?
Any season works with climate control. Spring and fall are simply the most forgiving.
Is dustless sanding really dust-free?
No sanding is completely dust-free, but systems that vacuum at the sander capture most of it. We also seal off the kitchen with plastic.
What is the difference between refinishing and a screen-and-recoat?
Buff and coat is maintenance for a dull floor. Sand and refinish is for wear into the wood or a color change.
Glen Ellyn contractor registration: do kitchen contractors need it?
Contractors must register with the Village and meet license and insurance requirements (Village Code 4-1-11); work that does not need a building permit is exempt. We take care of that before work starts.
Do you work in my part of Glen Ellyn?
Yes. Our crews work across Glen Ellyn — ZIP 60137 — and nearby Wheaton, Lombard, Glendale Heights.
Working in Glen Ellyn
- A lot of Glen Ellyn kitchens date from the 1970s. We know these layouts well and what is worth keeping.
- Most Glen Ellyn homes are single-family. We protect floors and driveways and leave the site clean every day.
- Older paint is treated with lead-safe practices: containment, HEPA cleanup and a clean hand-over.
ZIP 60137
Hardwood Floor Repair & Refinishing nearby
Other kitchen services in Glen Ellyn
Kitchen Subfloor RepairSoft spots, rot and squeaks fixed at the structure under the floor.
Kitchen RemodelingFull kitchen remodels, from layout to last cabinet pull.
Kitchen Cabinet PaintingFactory-smooth painted cabinets without replacing them.
Cabinet RefacingNew doors and fronts on your existing cabinet boxes.
Countertop Fabrication & InstallationQuartz, granite and butcher block, templated and installed.